Clasp



W. EVANS March 6, 1951 CLASP Filed Dec. 28, 1945 Patented Mar. 6, 1951 I UNITED sTATes PATENTTOFFICE Whit ingEvans, Brooklyn, N. Y. Q I v Application December 28, 1945,:Serial No. 637,632 I This invention relates to clasps and has rela} tion more particularly to a device of this kind especially designed and adapted to be used in connection with jewelry, and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind of a snap type and wherein a fixed prong is rigid with the casing of the clasp and a swinging prong has rigid therewith an element enacting with a wall of the casing and operating in a manner to normally maintain the second or movable prong in closed position.

Another object of the invention-is to provide a clasp comprising a rigid or fixed prong and a cooperating swinging prong to provide, when closed, a retainingrloop or ring and wherein the swinging prong has rigid therewith an element possessing sufficient inherent resiliency to provide means for maintaining the, swinging" prong normally closed with respect to the fixed prong and, furthermore; wherein -the swinging prong carries means whereby said swinging prongwmay be manually moved into open position with respect to the fixed prong.

The invention consists inthe details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of'my improved clasp whereb certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood,'I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a clasp constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the device as illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l with a side plate of the casing removed and the intermediate wall of the casing shown in section;

and

Figure 4 is a view in blank of the casing.

While the invention as herein embodied is particularly designed and adapted for use in connection with jewelry, it is to be stated that the same can be employed for other purposes without departing from the principles of the invention as herein embodied.

It is also to be stated that, in practice, when the clasp is employed in connection with jewelit is generally of a size about one-fourth of what is illustrated in the accompanying draws. In the embodiment of the invention as illus- 11Claim (or. 24-233) trated in the accompanying drawings, the casin C is formed of metal, plastic or other material possessing the proper qualifications.

tions of the side wa ls I connected by the intermediate orback wall 2. i

One of the side walls I has extending outwardly from one end thereof and rigid or integral therewith a closed retaining ring 3 and at the opposite end this wallhas extending outwardly therefrom and rigid or integral therewith an arcuate fixed prong 4,-herein disclosed as of a si e-in excess 01' a semicircle although .I-do not wish to be limited in this respect. 4

This fixed prong 4 is connected with its side wall I preferably at a point immediatel adiacent to the intermediate or back wall 2 and this prong 4, and particularly its outer portion, is disposed inwardly on a predetermined incline, as illustrated in Figure 2, to bring the outer or free end of this prong 4 substantially directly above the space between the side walls I of the casing C. The outer or free extremity of the prong 4 is herein disclosed as suitably beveled, as at 5, although it may be otherwise formed as preferred.

The swinging prong 6 of the c ash is carried by an outer corner of a plate 1 which is disposed between the side walls I and is held therebetween for rocking movement by a pin or other suitable pintle 8 which is disposed through the side walls 1 of the casing C and through the rear portion of the plate I. This pin or pintle 8 is preferably .positioned below the longitudinal center of the casing C and the plate 1 and at the transverse centers of the side walls I and closely adjacent to the rear margin of the plate 1.

The plate is of a width less than that of the side walls of the casing C and the location of the pin or pintle 3 is such that When the prong 6 is in its normally closed position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the outer upper longitudinal margin of the plate 1 is substantially flush with the adjacent free margins of the side walls I of the clasp while the lower or opposite marginal ortion of the plate I is provided with an extending piece or lug 9 of preferred design to provide means whereby the plate I may be readily rocked by a digit of the hand to swing the prong 6 into open position with respect to the prong 4. As is particularly illustrated in Figure 2, the prong 6 is also disposed on an incline or twist to assure effective closing coaction between the free extremities of the prongs 4 and 6.

By having the plate I of a width less than the width of the side walls l of the casing C or of such form as to provide a space between the rear edge of the applied plate I and the intermediate or back wall 2 of the casing, th requisite swinging movement of the plate I is permitted.

The end portion of the plate I carrying the prong 6 has rigid or integral therewith an elongated arm or prong I0 possessing the desired inherent resiliency and which arm or prong immediately adjacent its connection with the plate 1 is disposed on an abrupt curvature, as at H, and continued by a substantially elongated straightiportion l2 which has direct contact with the inner face of the intermediate or back wall 2 0f the casing C.

The late 1 above the pin or pintle s is reduced in width, as at is, from its inner margin to in V 6 into open position, the upper part of the portion 12', which will flex away from the intermediate or back wall 2, will tend to return to its normal straight position when retaining hold is removed from the prong 6, whereupon the prong B will automatically. be returnedto closed position with ies'pectto the pron 4, thus assuring the prongs E and 6 normally constituting a closed retaining 40 ring. v

It is believed to be apparent that as the plate I is rocked to swing theprong 6 outwardly, the

part of the portion 12 of the am; or pron it immediately adjacent to the rounded portion II' will have substantially a rolling action with rev spect to the intermediate or back wall 2.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a clasp constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

A clasp of the character described, comprising a casing having two spaced parallel side walls and an intermediate back wall joining adjacent longitudinal edges of the side walls, a partial ring element integral with one end edge of one side wall, a ring integral with the opposite end edge of a side wall, a plate member fitting snugly between said side walls, a pivot pin connected between the side walls and passing through the plate, a second partial rin element carried by and extending from the end edge of the plate member adjacent to the end edge of the first side wall from which the first partial ring element extends, said ring elements being adapted to be brought together to form a complete ring, said plate memher having a longitudinally extending slot formed therein from and opening through the other end edge thereof and closely approaching the first mentioned end edge, said slot being disposed between the pivot pin and the longitudinal edge of the plate nearer to said back wall, and the portion of the plate between the slot and the said back wall forming a resilient arm bearing against the said back wall and functioning as a spring to maintain the plate member in a position in which said ring elements are joined together.

WHITING EVANS.

REFERENCES CITED 'If-he following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date v 628,619 Alwood July 11, 1899 659,686 Mitchell Oct. 16, 1900 304,175 Sherkel Nov. '7, 1905 1,771,427 Waterhouse July 29, 1930 2,166,666 Rolan July 18, 1939 2,236,207 Bowder Mar. 25, 1941 2,283,328 Goodwin May 19, 1942 

